elliott



No. 6I5,0I7. Patented Nov. 29, |398. C. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application' filed Nov. 26, 1895.]

ma uonms PETERS oo., Pumaurwo., wAsHmumu, n. c.

No. 6|5,0I7. Patented Nov. 29, |898. C. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application led Nov. 26, 1896.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Patented Nov. 29, |898 C. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Applicqtion led Nov. 26 1895 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 (N0 Modeln THENOR PTRPNTO THOw HNTN c mszcsco.. u L ,Aslno n TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application led Nov. 26, 1895.1

5 Sheets--Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

WIZ/KESSES mmm MM No. 6I5,0|7. Patented Nov. 29, |898. C. ELLITT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application .Iled Nov. 26, 1895.)

(No Model.)

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. View of the writing mechanism.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CRAWFORD ELLIOTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,017, dated.November 29, 1898. Application filed November 26,1895. Serial No.570,153. (No model.)

New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Type-VritingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to that class of type-writing machineswhich are designed to write on books or stationary sheets sustainedbeneath the machine, such machines comprising usually an open stationarybaseframe adapted to rest upon the sheet or book and a writing mechanismsustained by said base-frame, movable both longitudinally and laterallywith respect to the same, to effect the letter-spacing and line-spacingand arranged to print downward through the baseframe onto the sheet orbook thereunder.

The present invention is directed more particularly to the adaptation ofmachines of this general character to large record-books; andthe'invention consists in the various irnproved features of constructionmore particularly described in the specification and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improvedwriting mechanism and the connected book-support, showing a book inposition beneath the machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsectional elevation on the line a 0., various portions of thebook-support being omitted. Fig. 3 is a similar section, on an enlargedscale, through one of the individual supports for the book-covers on theline b b of Fig. 4, the position of the writing mechanism beingindicated by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectionalelevation, on an enlarged scale, through the parts in the foregoingfigure on the line c c, the writing mechanism being shown in elevation.Fig. 5 is a bottom plan Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a detail. Fig. 7is an elevation of the feeding mechanism for advancing the Writingmechanism to effect the letter and word spacing.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a table or support having at itscenter, near its frontand rear,two standards 2 and 3, in which isloosely mounted a longitudinally-extending central shaft 4, inclinedupwardly toward its rear end. On the opposite ends of this shaft, whichextend beyond the standards,

are applied two angular arms 5, which are perforated at their center toreceive the shaft and which are confined thereon by nuts or othersuitable means, the arrangement being such that these arms may rock onthe shaft as a center. The opposite ends of the arms are formed withopenings and mounted loosely on longitudinal rods 7, sustained a slightdistance below two leaves S by depending brackets 9, the said leavesbeing adapted to give individual support to the backs of the book whenthe latter is placed thereon in an open position. From this descriptionit will be seen that the leaves are pivoted at their centers on the endsof the rocking arms, the result being that they (the leaves) may bemoved vertically upward and downward and also tipped on their centers,the one rising as the other descends. The purpose of this is to providefor the adjustment of the book at the proper position with respect tothe overlying writing mechanism hereinafter described and irrespectiveof the difference in the number of leaves supported above thebook-covers.

In order that the supporting-leaves may be held in the position placed,I provide two binding-screws 10, which are screwed longitudinally intothe table 1 and have their inner ends arranged to engage and abutagainst two vertical plates 11, depending from the under sides of thesupporting-leaves and eX- tending through slots l2 in the tablethereunder. These plates serve also as guides for the supporting-leaves,maintaining them atl all times in a truly horizontal position Withoutregard to their vertical movement. The adjustable leaves thus describedgive support to the two backs of the book 13 when the latter is placedthereon in an open position, the whole sustaining the writing mechanism14, which rests upon the leaf which is to receive the printing. Thismechanism has its type-bars arranged to strike at a common centerdownward, as is common in machines of this character, and it issustained by a rectangular open base-frame 15, comprising twolongitudinally-extending bars l5 connected at their opposite ends bycross-bars 16,whioh latter are fixed, preferably, to the under sides ofthe longitudinal bars, so that when the frame rests on the book thecross-bars will extend at the outside of the leaf and the lon- IOOgitudinal bars rest iatly and snugly on the leaf, as plainly shown inFig. 2. This rectangular frame is hinged at its rear edge to turnupward, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, in order that when one pagehas been filled with writing it may be turned over to receive writing onits reverse side. The hinging of the frame is effected by ixing to theunder side of the rear cross-bar, near its opposite ends, two lugs 17and 18, each provided with a horizontal opening surrounding a transversehorizontal bar 19, centered at its ends in plates 20, which are mountedin vertical slots in standards 21, rising from the table 1 at its rearcorners. The plates are provided with threaded projections 22, extending.outward through the slots in the standards, and they are held at thepoint in the slots to which they may be adjusted by clamping-nuts 23,applied to the threaded projections, as shown in Fig. 4. From thisdescription it will beseen that the base-frame on which the writingmechanism is sustained is hinged at its rear edge on a horizontal axis,adjustable vertically to and from the supporting-leaves on which thebook rests. The purpose of this vertical adjustment is to provide forbooks varying in thickness, the pivoting-bar being adjusted to a higherposition when thick books are to be printed on and to a lower positionwhen thin books are written upon.

It will be noticed that the base-frame may be slid transversely alongthe bar 19 from one side to the other, the purpose of which is toprovide for lthe adjustment of the writing mechanism to write upon thereverse sides of the leaves after the latter have been turned and thenby the sliding of the machine in an opposite direction to write upon anew page. The base-frame is securely held at any point along the bar bymeans of a clamping-screw 24, extending through ears 25, projecting fromthe side of the lug 18, which latter is split, so as to clamp or releasethe rod, as desired.

The movement of the writing mechanism longitudinally and laterally ofthe base-frame is accomplished in the following manner:

Extending transversely across the baseframe are two bars 25 and 26,connected at their ends by two longitudinally-extending bars 27 and 28,the whole forming a rectangular open frame giving direct support to thewriting mechanism and movable longitudinally along the upper side of thebase-frame to effect the line-spacing and designated, for the sake ofconvenience, the secondary frame.

The writing mechanism comprises a ringlike frame 29, sustainingaseriesof type-bars 30 and their actuating key-levers 31, the former arrangedto strike downward at a common point, as more fully describedhereinafter. The frame is provided at its rear with twoupwardly-extending bracket-arms 32, bolted to the upper side of the ringand formed on their inner sides with curved bearing-surfaces arranged topartly surround and embrace a horizontal cylindrical guide-rod 33,extending transversely across the secondary frame and sustained in theupper ends of two standards 34, rising from the opposite ends of thesame at its rear edge. These bracketarms extend on opposite sides of theguiderod and are each provided with an overhanging horizontal finger 35,through which is extended in a downward direction pins 36, forming thejournals of friction-rollers 37, curved inward at their peripheral edgesto partly embrace the guide-bar. The rollers, in connection with thecurved bracket-arms, wholly embrace the guide-bar and admit of thelateral movement of the ring-frame along the bar, but prevent it fromleaving the same. They also admit of the writing mechanism being turnedupward on the bar as an axis to expose the writing to view. At its frontthe machine-frame is guided in its lateral movement by a roller 38,mounted on a horizontal axis projecting forwardly from the lowerend ofacurved arm 39, extending downward from the front of the ring-frame, thesaid roller being in position to travel along the front transverse bar26 of the secondary frame, before alluded to. From this description itwill be seen that the writing mechanism is movable both longitudinallyof the base-frame to effect the line-feed and also transversely of thesame to eifect the letterspacing, and this through the medium of asecondary frame movable longitudinally of the base-frame and givingsupport to the machine proper, Which latter in turn is movabletransversely of the secondary frame on the rear guide-rod and front bar26.

The movement of the secondary frame longitudinally of the base-frame isaccomplished by means of a horizontal pinion 39, mounted loosely on astud 39b on the side bar 28 of the secondary frame in position to engagea stationary rack 39c on the side of the base-frame. This pinion isprovided with a series of holes 40, so spaced that the movement of thepinion the distance between the holes will cause the secondary frame tobe moved the proper distance to space a line. The movement of the pinionis effected by means of two levers 41 and 42, the former being mountedat its inner end loosely on the stud and having its outer end pivoted tothe lever 42, which latter is provided on its under side with a pin 43,

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arranged to enter the holes in the pinion. To I move the transverseframe to space a line, the end of the lever 42 is lifted and the pinthereon withdrawn from the hole in the pinion and the lever is carriedrearward and the pin inserted in the next hole, after which the lever isreturned to its former position,whicl1 movement will turn the pinion andadvance the secondaryframe the properdistance. The pivotal joint betweenthe two levers is formed so as to permit of a slight play of lever 42 inorder to allow its pin to be withdrawn from the hole, and thisy play ofthe lever is limited and the two are held in their proper relativepositions by means of a headed pin 44 on lever 41, extending through aslot 45 in lever 42. I have thus described a mechanism for effecting theline-spacing which will answer admirably the purpose in view and whichin itself possesses novel features; but it will be understood that itmay be replaced by mechanisms of other forms for the same purpose.

The lateral movement of the machine-frame proper carrying the type-barsand finger-levers is effected through the medium of pawls or dogs 46 ofthe usual and customary construction for this purpose. They are inposition to engage a fixed rack-bar 47, extending transversely at therear of the ring-frame, with its ends extending forward and mounted onthe guide-rod 33 at the inner side of the standards 34, beforedescribed. The pawls are carried by a horizontal bar 48, centeredbetween screws 49, extending through the upper ends of theoverhangingbrackets 32, the

arrangement being such that this bar may rock and permit the writingmechanism to be advanced step by step under the iniiuence of aspring-actuated drum 50, connected to 4the machine-frameby means of acord or chain 5l. frame in bearings fixed tothe rack-bar 47, and itcontains a coiled spring which is wound under tension by a key 53,having fixed to it a ratchet-wheel 54, adapted to be engaged by adouble-ended pawl 55, pivoted adjacent to the wheel. The pawl, throughits engagement with the ratchet-wheel, holds one end of the spring,whichis secured to the key, While the the other end of the spring is fixed tothe drum, and as a result of this arrangement the spring tends to turnthe drum and through its connection with the carriage tends constantlyto pull the same laterally. The cord is extended from the drum aroundpulleys 56 and 57, mounted in bearings on opposite sides of standards34, whence it extends transversely and is connected at its end with thering-frame, as at 576; The tension of the spring may be adjusted byturning the winding-key or releasing the ratchet-Wheel by thedouble-ended pawl, which acts as an escapement. It will be noted fromthis description that the drum and its actuating mechanism are notattached to the writing mechanism, but are carried bythe secondaryframe. This is of advantage in that the mechanism is relieved of theweight of these parts, and its step-by-step movement is consequentlyeffected without undue jar or violent action.

The rocking of the feed-pawl 46 to effect the lateral movement of thewriting mechanism is accomplished automatically, as usual, by theoperation of the key-levers, which are arranged in such manner that thedepression of any one of them will actuate a bailor frame 58, extendingbeneath the levers and having its two arms fixed to the rockingl bar, asat 59. This frame is acted on from The drum is mounted on the secondarybeneath by spiral springs 60, seated in vertical tubes 61, rising fromthe ring-frame and slotted to permit the depression ofthe frame, asshown in Fig. 6.

The key-levers 3l are arranged at the front of the machine inarectangular group in two main banks differing as to the points at whichthey are pivoted and two secondary banks differing as to the height ofthe keys.

The levers of the lower bank are pivoted about midway between their endsin slots formed in vertical posts or standards 62, having on their lowerends pins 63, seated in sockets in a forwardly-extending curved plate63, fixed to the front edge of the ring-frame, and the levers extendrearward and terminate around the inner edge of the ring-frame at itsfront, where they are pivoted to the -upper ends of vertical links 64,connected at their lower ends to the type-bars, as more fully describedhereinafter. The levers of the second bank are pivoted in slots invertical standards or posts 65, having on their lower ends pins seatedin sockets in a curved plate 66, extending above the ring-frame at itscenter, and sustained at its ends by standards 67, rising therefrom.These levers extend rearward and terminate at the inner edge of thering-frame at its rear, Where they are connected in a manner similar tothe iirst-named levers to the upper ends of vertical links, having theirlower ends pivoted to the typebars. As shown in Fig. 2, the pins on theslotted posts are held in their sockets by setscrews 67, and by thismeans the axis ot the levers may be raised or lowered to compensate forwear and to provide for other conditions encountered in practice. Thelower bank of levers rests upon the front horizontal portion of thepivoted frame 5S, while the upper bankrests upon a horizontal elevatedbar 68a, fixed between the ends of two vertical plates 69, extendingupward from the bail a slight distance in rear of its front portion, theresult of this arrangement being that when any one of the keys isdepressed it will impart a corresponding movement to the pivoted frameand through its connection with rocking pawl 46 will permit the writin gmechanism to advance one step.

The spacing-key is represented at 69 and consists of a horizontal longkey extending in front of the type-keys and connected to two parallelbars 70, which extend rearward and are pivoted to the front of thering-frame, as shown in Fig. l. These parallel bars are each providedwith a vertical linger 7l, having on their upper ends hooks engagingover the upper edge of the pivoted frame 58, so

that when the space-key is depressed the pivoted frame will receive acorresponding movement and through its connection with the pawl allowthe writing mechanism to advance.

The type-bars before alluded to are arranged vertically in a circlewithin the ringframe, as plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and

Vare pivoted at their lower ends to depending IOO IIO

brackets 72, having their upper ends bolted or otherwise firmly securedto the under side of the ring-frame. The levers are extended downwardand outward beyond their pivots and have their extreme lower endspivoted to the lower ends of the vertical links, as before described.The type-bars are retained yieldingly in a vertical position by means ofspiral springs 73, connected at their upper ends to the links aboutmidway of their length and at their lower ends to an annular frame 74,surrounding the lower ends of the type-bars and connected to the lowerends of depending posts 74, which latterl are fixed at their upper endsto the under side of the ringframe, as plainly shown in Fig. 5. By thedepression of the key-levers the type-bars will, through the connectionsdescribed, be turned on their pivots and Will strike downward throughthe open frame at a common point, an inking-ribbon 74S being arranged topass under the descending,r type in position to be struck thereby andpressed into contact with the book or sheet. This ribbon extendslongitudinally of the machine, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and is woundat its ends on two drums 75, fixed to the center of two horizontalshafts 76 and 77, located on the under side of the ring-frame at itsfront and rear, respectively, and mounted in suitable bearings 78, fixedto the ring-frame. This ribbon is arranged to be wound on its spoolsautomatically as the writing mechanism is advanced transversely by themanipulation of the finger-keys, and its movement is effected by ahorizontal longitudinally-extending shaft 79, located at one side of themechanism and mounted in bearings 80, fixed to the under side of thering-frame. At its rear end the shaft is provided with a spur-pinion 81in position to engage a fixed rack 82, formed on the lower edge of therack-bar 47, before described. This shaft is provided at points in linewith the two shafts 76 and 77 with right and left hand screw-threads orworms 83, adapted to engage and drive in opposite directions twoworm-wheels S4 and 85, having hubs mounted loosely on the ends of thetwo ribbon-shafts, the said hubs having their edges toothed and adaptedto be clutched alternately to two toothed clutch-blocks 86 and 87,splined to the shafts adjacent to the wormwheels and arranged to bemoved longitudinally on the splines relatively to the shafts to engageor disengage the worm-wheels. As shown in Fig. 5, the clutch-block 87 isin engagement with its worm-Wheel, and the shaft 79 being rotatedthrough its pinion 8l by the advance of the writing mechanism will turnits worm-wheel andimpart movement through the clutch -block to theribbon-shaft and move the ribbon in the direction indicated by thearrow. In order to reverse the movement of the ribbon when it has beenunwound from its spool and so that it may be wound on the other spool,clutch-block 87 is disengaged from its worm-wheel and the otherclutch-block engaged with its worm-wheel, the result being that thelatter will receive a reverse rotation from the shaft and will impartthe same to t-he ribbon-shaft and move the ribbon inthe oppositedirection. The clutch-blocks are acted on bv spiral springs 90 and 91,encircling the shafts and bearing at their ends against the bearings 78and against theclutch-blocks, and they tend to hold the blocks normallyin engagement with their Worms. To eect the alternate engagement anddisengagement of the clutch-blocks, I provide a clutch-lever 92, whichis pivoted on a vertical axis to the under side of the ring-frame, as at93, and which has its ends forked and extended in peripheral groovesformed in the clutch blocks. This lever has pivoted to it, near itsforward end, an operating-rod 94C, which latter extends laterallythrough the side of the ringframe and is acted on by a spring 95, fixedto the frame and tending to force the lever laterally against a plate96, containing a tooth 97, adapted to enter notches in the lever andlock the same in position. In operating the clutch lever to cause theengagement of clutch-block 8G with its worm-Wheel the lever is drawnoutward to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 and locked by thepin 97, entering one of the notches. To reverse the action of theribbon, the lever is pushed laterally, so as to disengage the pin fromits notch, and then pushed inward, rocking the clutch-lever on itsaxis,disen gagin g the clutchblock 86 and engaging clutch-block 87, withits worm, the result being that the ribbon will be moved in the oppositedirection.

In order that when the writing mechanism is turned upward on itsguide-rod 33 to expose the writing the rack-bar and connected parts maybe moved with it, I fix to the rear edge of the ring-frame arearwardly-extending finger 99, having a vertical lip 100 fixed to itand extending forward overa ledge 10], projecting from the rear side ofthe rack-bar. This lip not only insures the movement of all the partstogether, as described, but assists in guiding the mechanismtransversely along the guide-rod 33.

The writing mechanism is provided with the usual scales 102 and 103, theformer being applied to the rack-bar and the latter applied to a plateextending transversely between the two longitudinal bars of thebaseframe and connected to the longitudinallymoving transverse frame bymeans of a plate 106, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to support the page being written upon, so that it will presenta smooth and firm surface, I propose to employ a platen 110, comprisinga fiat metallic plate having applied to one side a sheet of rubber orother yielding material. This platen is slipped beneath the sheet beingwritten upon and when filled it is removed and placed beneath the nextpage.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim- IOS IOS

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l. The combination with a main support, of two horizontalsupporting-leaves for the book-covers, connected together to movevertically in opposite directions only, means for clamping said leavesfiXedly with respect to the main support and an overlyingdownwardly-acting writing mechanism.

2. The combination with a main support, of two horizontalsupporting-leaves for the book-covers situated above the support andsustained thereby tojrock freely independently on longitudinal axes, andan overlying downwardly-acting writing mechanism.

3. The combination with a main support, of two horizontalsupporting-leaves for the book-covers connected together above the mainsupport, and arranged to move vertically in opposite directions only,and also freely independently on longitudinal central axes, means forfixing said leaves against vertical movement and an overlyingdownwardly-acting writing mechanism.

4. The combination with a main support, of a rocking arm pivoted theretobetween its ends, supporting-leaves for the book-covers, sustained bysaid arm at its opposite ends whereby they are adapted to movevertically in opposite directions, means for holding the leaves in fixedrelations and an overlying downwardly-acting writing mechanism.

5. The combination with a main support, of two parallel arms pivotedmidway between their ends thereto, supporting-leaves for thebook-covers, sustained at the ends of said arms and movable freelyindependently on longitudinal axes, means for holding the leaves infixed relations, and an overlying downwardly-acting writing mechanism.

6. The combination with a main support provided with verticalguiding-openings, of individual supports for the book-covers sustainedabove the main support, and movable vertically, depending plates carriedby said individual supports and extending through the guiding-openings,clamping devices sustained by the main support and acting on thedepending plate and an overlying downwardly-acting writin g mechanism.

7. The combination with a main support, having guiding-openings, ofindividual supports for the book-covers, depending plates fixed to theunder side of the leaves and extending in the guiding-openings,clampingscrews extending longitudinally in the main support and arrangedto abut at their ends against the plates and an overlying down-rwardly-acting Writing mechanism.

S. The combination with a main support, of two standards or bearingsthereon, a central longitudinal shaft mounted in said bearings, two armspivoted between their ends on the shaft, two supporting-leaves for thebookcovers having on their under sides longitudinal shafts journaled inthe ends of said arms, and an overlying downwardly-acting writingmechanism.

9. The combination with the ring-frame, of the depending standardsattached at their upper ends thereto, the vertical type-bars pivotednear their lower ends to the lower ends of the standards, horizontalkey-levers above the type-bars, vertical links connecting the rear endsof the same directly with the lower ends of the type-bars, and meansforholding the type-bars yieldingly in a vertical position.

lO. The combination with a Xed rack eX- tending in the line of movementof the writing mechanism, of a rotary drive-shaft '7 9 eX- tendingtransversely of the rack and mounted in bearings on the writingmechanism, a pinion on said shaft in engagement with the rack, twoparallel shafts 76 and 77 mounted in bearings on the writing mechanismand adapted to be driven alternately by the driveshaft, ribbon-spoolsvfixed to said shafts, and clutch mechanisms for alternately connectingthe drive-shaft with the two parallel shafts.

1l. The combination with the transverselymovable writing mechanism, ofthe longitudinal shaft mounted in bearings thereon and adapted to berotated by the advance of the machine, right and left hand worms on saidshaft, two transverse ribbon-shafts mounted in bearings on the frame inline with the worms, ribbon-spools on said shafts, wormwheels looselymounted on the ends of the shafts and engaging the worms, clutch-blockssplined to the shafts, a clutch-lever engaging said blocks and arrangedto move the same alternately in engagement with the wor-mwheels andmeans for operating said lever.

l2. The combination with the iiXed baseframe, provided with alongitudinallyextending rack, of a secondary frame movablelongitudinally of said base-frame and sustaining a writing mechanismproper, a horizontal pinion carried by the secondary frame in positionto engage the rack and formed with a series of openings, and anoperatinglever for said pinion provided with a pi n adapted to entersaid openings.

13. In atype-writing machine the combination with a ring-frame, of aseries of depending brackets,typebars pivoted near their lower ends tosaid brackets, horizontal keylevers pivoted on the ring frame, verticallinks connecting the ends of said levers with the ends of the type-bars,an annular frame or ring surrounding the lower ends of the type-bars andsustained by vertical standards depending from the ring-frame andsprings connected to said annular frame and links and acting to hold thetype-bars yieldingly in a vertical position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 18th day of November,1895, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

CRAWFORD ELLIOTT.

W'itnesses:

W. P. HATCH, AUGUST C. NANz.

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